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Prague and Český Krumlov -- Sep/Oct 2014

Posted by (New Jersey, USA) on

Hi all,

My wife and I recently visited the Czech Republic for about 2 weeks (Prague for 7 full days, Český Krumlov for 3 days). Here are some impressions and lessons we took from the trip.

We try to visit Europe every two years, and we enjoy making our own plans rather than joining packaged tours. However, we are getting older (54 and 59) and decided this trip to visit fewer cities and spend longer in each. We planned our 3 full days (a lot) in Český Krumlov to coincide with the town's Friday-thru-Sunday St. Wenceslas festival. By the last day we were running out of things to do, and if not for the festival three days would have been definite overkill.

This was our first Europe trip with smartphones, and we found ourselves leaning heavily on them: for directions, translations, reservations, even the occasional phone call! We were lucky that our iPhones were world-ready, already unlocked and ready to accept a local SIM card. We used the Czech O2 service with an internet plan, which provided the mobile data service we needed for directions etc. (If you want to go this route, you of course need to be sure your phone will work in Europe, and be aware that replacing your SIM card means phone calls and texts to your "regular" number won't go through.) Google's suite of apps came in really handy: Chrome Mobile with its auto-translation feature, Google Translate for translating to and from Czech (with the Czech keyboard installed for all the diacritical marks), and especially Google Maps for walking and mass transit directions. It always gave good directions, but the turn-by-turn feature was maddeningly intermittent. When it worked it was fantastically good, though a battery-drainer, so a backup charging device is a good accessory. Since we'd be on public wi-fi a lot, we signed up for a month of SurfEasy's "Total VPN" service, $5 very well spent. The Czech mass transit company IDOS's mobile website (http://jizdnirady.idnes.cz) actually has an English option.

One other tip: for phone reservations, it REALLY helps to learn to spell your last name using the Czech pronounciation of the letters.

We experienced a severe shock upon arriving in Prague's old town -- the tourist glut in the old town square and at the Charles Bridge was extreme, almost like being dropped into Times Square on New Year's Eve. Our local tours helped tremendously to orient us. We splurged on Taste of Prague's food tour the first night. Our charming guide Jan took us and another couple to several eateries around Prague that are leading a renaissance in Czech cuisine, investing in locally sourced ingredients and putting new twists on stodgy Czech food. He shared tips and personal remembrances of recent Czech history with visual help from photos on his iPad, and he and his fiancee Zuzi had prepared copious recommendations of places to visit -- and eat -- that were authentically Czech and for any budget. Not cheap, but especially for foodies I heartily recommend it.

We also took a four-hour Best of Prague walking tour through the PragueWalker service that Rick recommends. We were really feeling the tourist shock when we met our guide Michaela, and (unfortunately) put the pressure on her to help us plan a tour that would orient us to the less-touristy side of Prague. Michaela met the challenge and gave us a wonderful tour from Strahov monastery, through the Castle District to the Lesser Town and Kampa Island, bypassing Charles Bridge and the old town square. (We went back to see these sights another day, before breakfast.) Michaela also gave us great places to visit near our hotel (the very nice Green Garland Pension in the old town). We highly recommend her and PragueWalker.

Next (and last) post: food recommendations.

Dave

Posted by
24 posts

Some food highlights:

In Český Krumlov: Na Louzi tavern. Boisterous local atmosphere and great food. The "Chicken Mixture" with mushrooms and Roquefort cream sauce was so good we went back for it a second time.

In Kutna Hora (day trip): at the recommended Pivnice Dačický, the wild boar goulash with gingerbread dumplings was tremendous.

In Prague, we tried all the Czech specialties, but our favorite meals deviated from them.

  • In the old town, tremendous open sandwiches at Jan Paukert deli on Národní street make a terrific lunch, to either eat in or take out.
  • We like to make our own picnic lunches. There are a few farmers' markets, like the very fun Saturday Náplavka market on the riverbank, but they are on certain days only. (The Havelská market is a tourist trap; stay away.) Best supermarket we found in the old town: Tesco, underneath "My Narodni" on Národní street at Na Perštýně.
  • Nearby Cafe Louvre had great food, very reasonably priced, in a lovely atmosphere. They had no problem with sharing, which is wonderful when you want a break from a full "eating out" meal every night. The confit duck leg was tremendous.
  • Speaking of lighter fare: Pho Vietnam at Anglická 529/15, representing Prague's large Vietnamese immigrant population.
  • And best splurge: Sansho, a totally unpretentious Asian fusion place in the new town, using locally sourced ingredients. In the evenings, a six-course tasting menu runs about $50. We went here for our anniversary dinner, and they blew us away. One of the top meals either of us has ever had.

Thanks for listening!

Dave

Posted by
222 posts

Hi Dave!
We also visited Prague for the first time this past September and I can totally relate to what you said about the commercialism. When we got to our apartment/hotel, Arcadia Residence (awesome by the way), the first thing to greet us was a Hooters restaurant. To say I was shocked is an understatement. It is sad how commercialized the old town is, I really did not expect that. We did love the place though, like you, when we went out with our private guide and saw the beauty outside this area. The buildings in the old town are amazing, as is the Charles Bridge, but the crowds and commercialization were so surprising. I guess I just didn't expect to see all that mixed in with the old beautiful buildings! Thanks for sharing your trip, enjoyed reading it!

Posted by
5 posts

My wife and I visited Prague at the end of October. Once we accepted and avoided the crowds, we enjoyed our stay very much. Try to go to the popular places at off times when the tours are not there. There is lots to see and do, and getting around is easy on the Metro and trams with a transit pass. Take advantage of the concerts; there are many of them and they last only about an hour, which makes it a really convenient way to end the day. We stayed at the Hotel Anna, which is one that is in Rick's guide book. It's away from the crowds; just a short two-station Metro stop from the center of the city, and it has lots of restaurants and amenities, such as a Post Office, Laundromat and grocery store within a block.

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